Wireless Festival cancelled after Kanye West blocked from coming to UK

Wireless Festival Cancellation Follows Block on Kanye West’s UK Entry

The Wireless Festival, a prominent UK summer music event, has been called off after its headliner, Kanye West—now known as Ye—was denied entry to the country. The decision came after the government withdrew his Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), citing concerns that his presence would not align with the public good. This followed backlash against his planned performance at the London-based festival.

West has faced scrutiny over years of controversial remarks, including antisemitic, racist, and pro-Nazi comments. In response, the festival organisers stated: “The Home Office has revoked Ye’s ETA, preventing his entry into the United Kingdom. As a result, Wireless Festival is cancelled, and refunds will be issued to all ticket holders.” They also noted that multiple stakeholders had been consulted prior to booking West, with no prior objections raised.

Antisemitism was highlighted as a central issue in the statement, which acknowledged the “real and personal impact” of his comments. The organisers added that West expressed willingness to engage with the Jewish community, stating: “He acknowledges that words alone are not enough, and in spite of this still hopes to be given the opportunity to begin a conversation with the Jewish community in the UK.”

Presale tickets for the festival were released at midday on Tuesday and reportedly sold out quickly. The general sale was scheduled to open at midday on Wednesday. The Home Office confirmed that West had submitted his ETA application on Monday, leading to the refusal based on the potential negative influence of his presence.

“Without a headliner and with sponsors withdrawing, Wireless has had to cancel. How did it come to this? Apparently ‘no concerns were highlighted’ about Kanye West at the time of the booking. Who were they consulting? A wall? That’s what happens when the only stakeholders you speak to are those who stand to make a profit,” said a Campaign Against Antisemitism spokesperson.

West expressed hope to meet Jewish community members, telling the BBC: “I would be grateful to meet representatives of the Jewish community in the UK after the controversy over my booking.” He added that while words might not be sufficient, he was ready to demonstrate change through actions.

Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic—the company behind Wireless—mentioned efforts to contact Jewish groups after the festival’s announcement. “They have refused a meeting,” he said, though the Board of Deputies clarified that they had not declined the request. “When the Board of Deputies received a letter from Melvin Benn on 6 April, proposing to meet in response to our concerns, we responded positively,” the spokesperson said.

Benn defended West’s past behavior, calling it “abhorrent” and “disgusting,” but emphasized the role of mental health in his actions. “Mental health is not something that disappears overnight,” he noted. “People suffer from psychotic or bipolar episodes for years, and I think people are forgetting that.”

Despite the cancellation, the Board of Deputies reaffirmed their stance, stating that the invitation for West to perform “should be rescinded” regardless of any meeting. The decision has now been removed from both West’s and Festival Republic’s control, affecting other major UK events like Reading and Leeds.